Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Kalamata Olives, Capers and Sun Dried Tomatoes

For 100 years, Hellmann’s has brought together the best ingredients - such as oil, vinegar and now cage-free eggs – to help bring out the best meals and moments to America’s tables. I personally grew up on Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise and to me and my family, there is NO substitute. It's always fresh, creamy and consistently delicious. 

To celebrate its 100^th birthday, Hellmann’s is teaming up with celebrity chef Mario Batali to showcase how decades of delicious meals start with real, quality ingredients. Mario put his own spin on a classic recipe for Chicken Pasta Salad with Green Olives and Raisins and it inspired me to create my own unique twist on his salad and enter the contest myself. 

Mario Batali's Salad Creation

I opted to incorporate some of my favorite aromatic flavors like Kalamata olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, fresh oregano and lemon; then used grilled chicken instead of sautéing it for that extra depth in flavor. This salad was exquisite and would make the perfect cold meal on a hot summer's day or shared with family and friends as an accompaniment at your next gathering!

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Kalamata Olives, Capers and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Prep Time:  15 minutes             Yield: 12

Cook Time: 15 minutes             Serving: 1 cup 

Total Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Bowtie Pasta (I used Barilla Plus)
• 1 lb. Boneless Chicken Breasts 
• 3/4 c. Kalamata Olives, pitted and halved
• 2 tbsp. Capers
• 3/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 Scallions, chopped
• 1 c. Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 1 tbsp. Fresh Oregano, chopped
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. 
2. While pasta is cooking, season your chicken with salt and pepper; then grill 7-8 minutes per side until chicken is cooked through. Cool, then slice into strips. 
3. In large bowl, whisk together the Hellmann's, oregano, lemon zest and juice until it's creamy. 
4. Add cooked pasta, chicken, olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes and scallions and toss to coat.

Enjoy!

Want to get in on the action?

Join the Hellmann’s Blue Ribbon table and co-create your own recipe with Mario Batali. ENTER HERE for your chance to win a seat at the World’s Longest Picnic Table for Hellmann’s 100^th birthday celebration in September. You can also visit Facebook.com/Hellmanns to watch Mario share his modern twist on some of Hellmann's classic recipes! 

Disclaimer:  I was compensated to write this post. All opinions are my own based on my own personal experiences.

Shared on Thursday's Treasures at Chocolate, Chocolate and More 6/13/13 Shared at Weekend Potluck at The Country Cook 6/14/13

O Olive Oil Taste Test

I was recently selected as one of twenty-four home chefs by eRecipeCards.com and O Olive Oil to participate in their Rite of Spring Recipe Contest. To participate in the contest, I have been asked to write two posts. One, is a product review for the complimentary samples I graciously received from O Olive Oil, and for the other post, I must create a new recipe using these products. This post is for my product review. 


For the contest, I chose to receive a combination package of O Tahitian Lime Olive Oil and the O Ginger Rice Vinegar. I wasn't quite sure what I would make but figured, like every other recipe I create, I would experiment with whatever it was I had on-hand at the time I received the products. I was so excited when the products finally arrived. I had heard of them, but had never tasted them myself. The package came securely packed in bubble wrap, then wrapped in it's own O Olive Oil box to prevent breakage along with styrofoam peanuts to protect it even further. (By the way, you're never to old to play with packing materials. It entertained my 15 and 10 year old for hours!) When I saw this, I knew that quality was top on their priority list. When I opened the box, I was even more impressed with their product packaging. It was colorful, had a easy to read font, and I also loved the crisp, clean look of the bottles. 

O Olive Oil is the original maker of specialty organic citrus-crushed olive oils since 1995 and premium barrel-aged wine vinegars since 1997. They travel the world to source the finest extra virgin olive oils and their products are sold in gourmet, natural food,  specialty stores, as well as on-line in the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe, and Latin America.  1n 1995 Greg Hinson, co- founder and president, combined his passion for citrus and healthy eating by crushing whole organic citrus with fresh California Mission olives to create an unparalleled new product category—the extra virgin citrus olive oil.  These oils are considered "pressed", and are neither infused nor flavored after pressing, as is common in the industry. This means that their oils have a deeper flavor than infused oils. 


In 1997, Hinson started hand crafting varietal wine vinegars, using the same simple natural process.  O Olive Oil is one of the few remaining vinegar makers in this country using the old world Orleans method of natural aging in wood barrels rather than mechanically force-aging the vinegars.  I was also interested to learn that in recent months, consumers have expressed their concerns about potential lead found in European vinegars, particularly balsamic vinegar, with the highest concentrations being found in Modena-style balsamic vinegars. In California, all retailers selling European balsamic vinegars are now required to post notice that these vinegars contain lead according to The California Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 or Proposition 65.



In response, O has developed three new balsamic vinegars:

O California Balsamic: dark, rich, and dense  (Sonoma)
O California White Balsamic: a sparkling dance of sweet Muscat and Malvasia  (Napa)
O Port Balsamic: Sweet Port meets our own rich California balsamic  (Napa/Sonoma)

These vinegars are made in California in the traditional balsamic manner, oak-aged over time and under rigorous supervision. They hand craft them one batch at a time in order to certify their quality and healthful goodness. And most importantly, each of these vinegars has tested out at levels more than 30 times lower than even the rigorous safe levels established by California’s Proposition 65.  

And now, my taste test. I have one word...AMAZING! I wanted to get the full effect of the olive oil so I purchased a loaf of fresh ciabatta bread, broke off a piece, then dipped it into the oil. This O Tahitian Lime Olive Oil made with crushed Tahitian limes and fresh California olives was delicious all on it's own. It had a strong lime flavor, but not too overpowering, and it was smooth and thick just like an olive oil should be. Next, I added some of the O Ginger Rice Vinegar, which is hand harvested using fresh ginger root from Jamaica, Fiji and India and is steeped in the finest sweet California rice vinegar.  I dipped my bread in and the recipe I was going to make just came to me....stay tuned!

About eRecipeCards
eRecipeCards is the home for food lovers. Once you set up an account, you are automatically given an eRecipeBOX, a place to save recipes for fast easy retrieval, whether your a home cook or have a blog of you're own. They handle all of the storing, filing and organizing! And, if you contribute frequently,  you will also become a Blue Ribbon Contributor. 


You can also find eRecipeCards and O Olive Oil on Facebook!

Voting for the Home Grown Chef Contest & How to Eat When You Travel

First, I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to our ALL of our contestants for entering my first ever Home Grown Chef Contest. You all submitted some wonderful recipes and got a little taste of what it was like to be a food blogger, comments and all! Some of you really have a competitive streak in you based on posts I saw on Facebook and Twitter this week...I LOVED IT! :)

Now it's time for my readers to decide! I've listed the recipes in order of the most page views on the TOP LEFT CORNER of this blog. Please select YOUR favorite recipe. You can only vote once and you have until Wednesday, June 6th. (If you're reading this through email/rss feed, please come to the blog so you can VOTE, it only takes a moment!) The winner will be announced on Thursday, June 7th and will win a $50 Williams Sonoma Gift Card and a customized bamboo cutting board. The remaining four contestants will win a customized Bamboo Cutting Board. 

And now, without further ado, here were the Top 5 Viewed Recipes! (If you missed the original post on Tuesday, click on the name for the recipe)

With 136 Page Views: Jenn Cedeno's Chicken with Roasted Peppers

With 129 Page Views: M.J. Vitelle's Nana's Chicken Ravioli Filling

With 87 Page Views: Patty VanKirk's Caramelized Snack Mix (aka Crack)

With 62 Page Views: Karin Hung's Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream

With 39 Page Views: Lily Zhou's Steelhead Trout with Balsamic Strawberry Salsa

And now for some travel tips!

It's June (I can't believe it, can you?!). Schools are slowly letting out state by state for the summer and vacations are just about to get underway. So I was excited when I saw an article in Martha Stewart Magazine (not the regular magazine, but a small version and I can't remember the name of it now, sorry, they gave it to us at the convention last month) about how to eat well when you travel. If you’re like my family, then you know how taxing it can be to eat the right foods while you’re on the go. Here are their suggestions and a few of my own!

At the Airport: Terminal food can be expensive, high in sodium and usually don’t offer the healthiest selections. Bring instant oatmeal packets and nuts to keep yourself sustained.

My tip: Depending on the length of the flight, we usually like to arrive even earlier than the suggested departure time so that we can eat a regular meal at one of the sit-down restaurants. They generally offer healthier meal options and we also don’t fall victim to eating the airplane food selections.

In the Car: Skip the drive-through and make wraps with tortillas. They suggest PB&J or hummus with shredded vegetables, as they are portable and don’t require refrigeration.

My tip: We travel to FL by car at least once a year to visit family and it is a 21 hour drive to our location so I have a little bit of experience with this one! We purchased an inexpensive fabric cooler that fits in the middle of the back seat or on the floor, and load it up with sandwiches (like our family favorite of grilled chicken with fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette on crusty Italian bread), fresh fruit, granola bars, yogurt and juice boxes and water. We then add in resealable plastic bags with ice to keep items cold. You can always get ice  at any gas station stop to fill up the bags if it is exceptionally hot or if you stop overnight, like we tend to do.

At a Hotel: If your hotel doesn’t have a mini fridge, request one prior to check –in. Then, fill it with yogurt and berries for a quick, healthy breakfast

My tip: If that’s not an option, the instant oatmeal packets, like mentioned above, are a good choice.

In a Rental: Make grilling easier at your vacation home. Prep spice rubs and marinades before you go for effortless flavor without a stocked pantry.

My tip: It’s all of those additional items you don’t think of when you go to make a meal while you’re away that you don’t think about. For example, if you know you’re going to eat dinner in at least 4 times while your away, then plan your menu ahead of time and pack non-perishable items from home to bring with you. Vinegars, oils, condiments, spices can all be placed in smaller snack sized bags or sealable containers. You will also save a TON of money at the local grocery store and not be left with full bottles of these items, which usually get thrown out or dispersed by the cleaning staff after you leave anyway! You then only have to purchase the perishable items you are going to consume while you’re occupying the rental.

Out and About: Add a farmer’s market to your itinerary so you can enjoy local food and learn about the area. Visit localharvest.org to find a location.

My tip: If you're just going out for the day, pack a lunch! You can buy an inexpensive insulated lunch cooler and fill it with sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, drinks. Simply add a frozen ice block or a sealed sandwich bag of ice and it will keep for hours! 

Wishing you all safe travels this summer! Now...go VOTE!!

Chef Contest-Sweet Creamy Shrimp Delight (Hidemi Walsh)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good Luck!


Recipe Contributor: Hidemi Walsh from Plainfield, IN

Bio: I am Japanese and moved to IN 3 years ago from Tokyo to marry my husband. I used to live in San Francisco as well (almost 10 years ago) so this is not my first time to live in the US but I find lots of new, exciting and interesting things. Food is one of things and I have been learing American traditional dishes which is very fun. I started to cook when I was in mid 20s because I wanted to lose weight. I was overweight and tried lots of METHODS to lose weight. I found out that what you eat is the best way not only to lose weight but also to stay healthy. I stopped to eat out, buy food from stores. Now I cook healthy yet delicious (try) food for my husband and myself every day.

Sweet Creamy Shrimp Delight
3/4 lb Shrimp, deveined, peeled with tails on 
2 Potatoes (about 2/3 lb)1 cup Lima beans (canned beans),  drained
4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
4 teaspoons Lemon Juice5 tablespoons Milk
2 teaspoons Grated Garlic Clove
2 teaspoons Sugar
3 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Corn Starch
Olive Oil for deep fry
 



Directions:

1. Cut potatoes into 1/4 inch thick round slices and heat in a microwave for a couple of  minutes or until tender.
2. Make sauce. In a bowl, combine milk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated garlic clove, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. In another bowl, combine flour and corn starch. 
4. Sprinkle salt and pepper over shrimp and potatoes. Then coat them with flour mixture.
5. Heat olive oil in a skillet, deep fry shrimp and then potatoes. Drain both shrimp and potatoes with papaer towel and put them into the sauce bowl. Then add lima beans to the bowl and toss to coat. Sprinkle miced parsley on top.

Chef Contest-Spanish Mussels with Chorizo (Lily Zhou)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 

Lily Zhou from Goleta, CA

Bio:

My name is Lily, I live in Goleta with my husband, my son (3.5 years), and my daughter (18 months).  I am a trained chemist although right now I am a stay at home mom.  Cooking and eating is a hobby for me.  There are not many interesting restaurants in the Goleta area, so most of the time I take advantage of the local farmer's market and cook at home.  I don't have a blog, but I post at least once a month on yelp.

Spanish Mussels with Chorizo

1 pound cleaned mussles

olive oil

3 cloves of garlic 

1/4 cup chopped onion

half cup Spanish chorizo 

1/3 cup plum tomato

small pinch of saffron

salt and pepper

chopped parley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, heat 2 tablesp good quality olive oil. Add 3 cloves of minced or sliced garlic, 1/4 cup chopped onion or shallot, half cup of Spanish chorizo. Sauteed until the oil turns red from the paprika. Add 1/3 cup of plum tomato and just a small pinch of saffron, let it cook for about 2 min to meld the flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste (chorizo is very salty, you might not need additional salt)

2. Add 1 lb cleaned mussel to the pot. Stir and then add half a cup white wine. Close the lid and let mussels steam until the shells are open. Do not overcook.

3. Top with optional chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Chef Contest-Mayo Soy Chicken (Hidemi Walsh)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 

Hidemi Walsh from Plainfield, IN

Bio: 

I am Japanese and moved to IN 3 years ago from Tokyo to marry my husband. I used to live in San Francisco as well (almost 10 years ago) so this is not my first time to live in the US but I find lots of new, exciting and interesting things. Food is one of things and I have been learing American traditional dishes which is very fun. I started to cook when I was in mid 20s because I wanted to lose weight. I was overweight and tried lots of METHODS to lose weight. I found out that what you eat is the best way not only to lose weight but also to stay healthy. I stopped to eat out, buy food from stores. Now I cook healthy yet delicious (try) food for my husband and myself every day. This is my favorite recipe because it is very easy to make and with a few ingredient make great dessert. 

Mayo Soy Chicken
4 Chicken Thighs
4 tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
6 tablespoons Flour
3 tablespoons Corn Starch
Canola Oil for deep-fry

Directions:

1. Cut chicken thighs into bite size.

2. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, black pepper and soy sauce. Mix well. Put chicken thighs and marinate for 30 minutes.

3. In another bowl, combine flour and corn starch. Mix well.

4. In a frying pan, heat canola oil. Coat marinated chicken breasts with flour and corn starch mixture. Deep fry chickens until golden and crispy.

Chef Contest-Chicken with Roasted Peppers (Jenn Cedeno)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 

Jenn Cedeno from NJ

Bio:

I’m not a “foodie” blogger; however, I am the author behind the blog: My Daily Jenn-ism.  I like to cook & constantly think of how I would like what I’m making to taste and then I just go with it.  I like to cook.  My husband likes to eat – so it all works out wonderfully.  My recipe below is TODAY’S version and always subject to change with my taste buds. I love this recipe!  And…so does my husband, so I’ve made it quit a bit and I’ve gotten better with it as I go on.  Disclaimer:  I’ve just finished reading the first book of “50 Shades of Grey” series, so this recipe was generated directly after.

The first thing you need is big set of plump juicy breasts…No, no – not your own.  Chicken Breasts, but what you do in your own kitchen is your business!

Chicken with Roasted Red Peppers

2 lbs – Plump Boneless Chicken Breasts

½ cup – Garlic Bread Crumbs

½ - ¾ cup White Cooking Wine

½ - Cup Chicken Stock

2 Tbsp - Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tbsp - Butter

1 Jar – YES JAR, I’m a working mom!  Roasted Red Peppers

1 cup – Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Parmesan Cheese

Garlic powder

Sea Salt

Ground Pepper

If there are no measurements stated, it’s to your taste.

Ok…  Now the first thing you want to do is handle your big plump breasts… 

Wash them gently in cool water and pat them dry…. Yes, like that, but leave them slightly damp.

Now go over and get your oven turned on …350 degrees ought to do it. 

Get a large cutting board & place either clear plastic wrap or wax paper down – place the breasts on top & another piece on top of the breasts.

Now, it’s time to beat your meat!  Gently – You’re not Christian Grey!  You don’t want to damage the breasts.  You just want them to be pounded down & tender so they melt in your mouth.  If you don’t have a mallet, I don’t know use a hammer or something. I’m not that creative.  J

Melt the butter over a low heat along with the olive oil until the pan is hot & the olive oil & butter come together.

While that is happening, lightly bread the chicken breasts.  We are NOT doing an egg wash.  The chicken breasts should be slightly damp & able to hold the crumbs.

After breading, place breasts into pan sprinkle a little garlic powder, sea salt & pepper on the breasts – raise heat slightly and heat both sides until crumbs adhere to breasts.  About 5 minutes per side.  When you flip the breasts, season the other side.  My 2 cents – go easy on the sea salt!  Between the butter, chicken stock & wine – it will be plenty salty!

When the breading is one with the breast, add the wine.  Pour yourself a glass while you’re at it.  I did!

Pour generously around the pan & move pan around in a circular motion so all the breasts can be covered with wine.  Flip to the other side & repeat.  Add Chicken stock & repeat same process as wine.  Once this comes to a boil, remove from heat immediately & place to the side.  We do not want the chicken to cook on the stove top!  Take remaining liquid and put at bottom of baking pan to prevent chicken from sticking to pan.  Add chicken to pan.  As shown – don’t get all judgey… I said I’m not foody – so my pans are all aluminum foil covered.  J

Sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese, ½ cup of mozzarella cheese, the roasted peppers & the other ½ cup mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven & cook for 25-45 minutes.  This depends upon the thickness of the breast; the thicker the breast, the longer the cook time.  Rule of thumb – chicken should never be pink on the inside.  Think Salmonella… 

I usually serve this with pan roasted broccoli & cauliflower in a garlic & butter sauce.  Sorry, no recipe there… I fly by the seat of my pants on that one…

The finished product should look like this…

(I’m a sucky photographer)

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

~Jenn Cedeno

http://mydailyjenn-ism.blogspot.com/

Chef Contest-Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream (Karin Hung)

Welcome to the first every CEK's 2012 Home Grown Chef Contest! 

A few months ago, I challenged my readers to submit their favorite recipes and what a great response I had!  It is up to each recipe contributor to engage their friends/family/etc to view their recipe on this blog post and the 5 most popular recipes (determined by the number of page views it receives) will be added to a poll for everyone to vote on.  (For complete rules of the contest click HERE.) Good luck!

Recipe Contributor: 

Karin Hung from Vancouver, BC, Canada

Bio: 52 Scoops was created with a simple goal in mind: to develop and compile a collection of 52 ice cream recipes – one for each week of the year.

Inspiration for flavours will come from everyday foods, new tastes experienced when travelling, unusual products spotted at the grocery store, and, hopefully, from you.  Each week, I will develop a recipe and crank out a batch of ice cream in my beloved Donvier ice cream maker.  I’m not promising amazing food photography (hello, iPhone 4 camera) and tested-til-perfect recipes.  What you’ll find here is a collection of simple recipes made mostly with everyday ingredients, and perhaps the occasional report of creative attempts gone awry.

Karin, The Ice Cream Maker Karin has always loved ice cream.  At 12 months, she went from being a “cruiser” (a cautious baby who could only walk while holding onto furniture) to a lightning fast sprinter upon hearing the sudden call for ICE CREAM in the kitchen.  She had early childhood dreams of owning an ice cream parlour, but has settled instead for a gig as an urban planner.  Karin is a self-declared food nerd and loves kitchen gadgets.

Blog: www.52scoops.com  Twitter: @52scoops

Hot Cross Buns Ice Cream  (Makes about 1 quart)

2 eggs
3/4 c brown sugar
3 cups half-and-half cream
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg (use freshly ground, if possible!)
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp orange zest, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
1/2 cup currants
1/3 cup golden raisins

Icing (optional):

1/4 cup icing sugar
1/8 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp milk

1. In a heavy saucepan, lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar.
2. Add 2 cups of the half and half, spices, and salt.
3. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (170 degrees F / 77 degrees C).
4. Remove from heat immediately and add the remaining 1 cup of the half and half to stop the cooking.
5. Add zest, currents, and raisins to the mixture.  Cool and chill overnight in the fridge.
6. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and prepare according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
7. When ice cream is firmly chilled, scoop into serving dishes.  If garnishing with icing, mix together icing sugar, vanilla, and milk.  Drizzle an X over each scoop of ice cream.